Auto signal and tail light.



I. A. WEAVER.

AUTO SIGNAL AND TAIL LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14, i9l7.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

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AUTO SIGNAL AND TAIL LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 14, 1917.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

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AUTO SIGNAL AND TAIL LIGHT.

Application filed December 14, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA A. WEAVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Auto Signal and Tail Lights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle signals and aims to provide a combined signal and tail light, which may be attached to the rear of the vehicle and operated by the driver to indicate to others the proposed direction of travel.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a signal in which the signal arm is normally hidden from view, the said arm being carried by the tail lamp, which also support the license plate, the latter being so arranged that the signal arm will normally lie beyond the plate.

The invention also comprehends the provision of a signal having a plurality of different colored lenses in the casing thereof, one of which is utilized as a pilot light, while the others are disposed concentrically around said light and colored to indicate right and left turns and stop, these lenses being controlled by the position of the signal arm through a novel'connecting means, which in addition provides for holding an operating disk in position before the source of light, the invention further consists of the following novel combinations and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure '1 is an elevation of the combined signal and pilot lamp, the signal being in its normal position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the arm in position to indicate stop.

Fig. 3 is a plane view with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. dis a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 5 is a central vertical sectional view.

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 is a detailed perspective view of the revolving disk or shuttle, showing its connection with the signal arm.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the signal comprises a casing 10 of preferably Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

Serial No. 207,180.

cylindrical shape, which is open at one side as at 11 and provided with a glass closure, in order that the source of light, which is in the form of an electric bulb 12 may shine therethrough upon the license plate as in the ordinary form of pilot light. The front face 13 of the casing 10 is provided with a centrally arranged opening 1 1, which is closed by means of acolored glass or lens 15 for the purpose of providing the usual red light at the rear end of the vehicle. The front face 13 is also provided with preferably three concentrically disposed openings 16, 17 and 18, the opening 16 being closed by means of a colored glass, while the openings 17 and 18 are closed by red and green glass respectively.

Rotatably mounted within the casing 10 against the front face 13, is a disk or support 20, which is divided with a concentrically arranged opening 21 of the same diameter as the'opening 14 and as this support is positioned between the lens 15 and the source of light 12, the lamp will when lighted continuously shine through the said lens, but the openings 16, 17 and 18 will be normally covered by the shuttle. The shuttle 20 is also formed with an opening 22, of the same diameter as the openings 16, 17 and 18 and so located as to be moved into register with any one of the last mentioned openings when the shuttle is rotated.

The shuttle 20 is mounted upon laterally extending arms 23, which extend toward the rear wall of the casing and are connected by a diametrically arranged arm 24:, the latter being secured upon the shaft 25 and mounted in a bearing in the rear walls of the casing. The length of the arms 23 are such as to hold the shuttle in position for rotation adjacent the front face 13 of the casing.

- Mounted upon the shaft 25 and extending radially therefrom in alinement with the opening 22, is a signal arm 26, which i preferably colored red to indicate danger, the said signal arm normally lying behind the license plate 27, which is secured to the bracket arm 28 fastened to the rear Wall of the casing in any desired manner, the arm 28 being slightly spaced from the rear wall in order that the end of the plate may extend slightly within the diameter of the casing 10, so that the signal arm 26 will be hidden from view. The arm 26 is held in such normal position by means of a spring 29 carried by the shaft and arranged to be placed under tension when the arm 1s raised for operation by the rotation of the shaft 25.

This rotation is accomplished by having secured to the shaft 25 a front arm 30, which has connected thereto one end of a flexible element 31, the other end of which is positioned within convenient reach of the driver of the vehicle for the operation of the signal.

In Fig. 1 is illustrated one of a number of various means which may be employed for operating the signal. This means 1ncludes a casing which may be secured within convenient reach of the driver, the casing being indicated at 32 and having a slot 33 provided in its upper end. The side edges of the slot 33 is provided with notches 34 and operating in this slot and engageable with the notches with the levers 35, one end of which is connected to the flexible element 31 and the opposite end extending through the slot 33 to provide an operating handle 36, the lever being pivoted within the casing adjacent its connection with the flexible element 31. Notches 33 are so positioned that when the lever is engaged with one of the notches the signal arm 26 will register a respective opening 16, 17 or. 18, so that the driver may determine the position of the signal arm by the position of the latter within the casing 32.

In the operation of the device, the arm 25, will, as stated, normally lie behind the license plate 27, and when it is desired to indicate a right turn the said arm is moved by means of the flexible element 31 to approximately an angle of 15 degrees, or into register with the opening 16. When it is desired-to indicate stop the arm 25 is raised to a vertical position or into alinement with the openings 17 and when a left turn is to be indicated the said arm is moved into alinement with the opening 18. During the day-light hours the arm 25 will be plainly visible, while at night the various signals will be made by the light 12 shining through the opening 22 in the shuttle 20, this shuttle being lighted with the opening 22 so that the light will be projected through any one of the openings 16, 17 and 18.

Various changes may be made in the form, proportion and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention and the right is reserved to make such changes.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A vehicle signal embodying a cylindrical casing, a source of light, a centrally disposed glass covered opening within said casing, a centrally apertured disk mounted to revolve within said casing, a rotatably mounted signal arm located without said casing and secured to said disk, means projecting through the casing for covering the signal arm when in a normal position, means whereby the signal arm may be operated to indicate the intentions of the driver of the vehicle and means for returning the signal arm to normal position.

2. A vehicle signal embodying a cylindrical casing, a source of light, a centrally disposed glass covered opening within one face of the casing, a centrally apertured disk mounted to revolve within said casing be tween the glass covered opening and the source of light and having its aperture registering with the opening in the cylindrical casing, a shaft mounted to revolve in said casing opposite said glass covered opening, means for connecting said shaft and apertured disk, said means holding the disk in position within the casing, a rotatably mounted signal located without said casing and carried by said shaft, means projecting from the casing for covering the signal arm when in normal position, means whereby the signal arm may be operated to indicate the intentions of the driver of the vehicle and means for returning the signal arm to normal position.

3. A vehicle signal embodying a cylindrical casing, a source of light, a centrally disposed glass covered opening, within one face of the casing, radially arranged openings disposed concentrically around the central opening, said openings being covered by different colored glass to indicate difi'erent signals, a centrally apertured disk 1 mounted to revolve Within said casing between the glass covered opening and the source of light and having its central aperture registering with the opening in the cylindrical casing, an opening disposed radially of said central aperture and adapted to be brought into register with one of the concentrically disposed openings in the cylindrical casing, a shaft mounted to revolve in said casing opposite said glass cov- 115 ered opening, means connecting said shaft and apertured disk, said means holding the disk in position within the casing, a rotatably mounted signal arm, located without said casing and carried by said shaft, means 12 projecting from the casing for covering the V slgnal arm when" in normal position, means to revolve Within said casing, a rotatably arm may be operated to indicate the inmounted signal arm located Without said tentions of the driver of the Vehicle and casing, a substantially rectangularyoke means for returning the signal arm to nor- 10 connecting the signal arm and the disk, mal position.

means projecting from the casing for cover- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. ing the signal arm When the latter is in normal position, means whereby the signal IRA A. WEAVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

